Sylvia Day's Crossfire Series Books (Bared to You, Reflected in You, Entwined with You)

I was introduced to Sylvia Day's, Crossfire Series, after searching for something that could get me over my Fifty Shades of Grey (FSOG) book hangover.  I ended up finding this recommendation list, and after doing a search through Amazon and Barnes and Noble, Bared to You, was the book that kept popping up.

I really enjoyed reading through Maryse's list though, and she seems to like a lot of the same books I like, so after seeing how passionate she was about this book, I knew this was the next read for me!

Let me just say...she was soooo right!  It's like she knows me (!!!)....but lets start at the beginning.

After buying "Bared to You" and sitting on it, and re-reading FSOG for the however many-ith time, I grudgingly turned my sights away from Christian (*sigh* my 1st book crush), and admitted that *I* was in a book rut.  I wanted more of the same feelings that FSOG gave me.

So I finally did it.
I opened my Nook and went straight to my library to pull out this series, and ya know what?  I love(d) it.

This series ROCKS!

So let's go through the books, shall we?

Bared to You:


This book was a great read and I found myself flying through this book!

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, start this book before bed!  You will not sleep.  Trust me.

So what's going through my head right now?

I really liked this book.

Gideon's hot, overbearing, possessive, alpha-man-ness was all too alluring, along with some un-said forward acknowledgments that had my heart skipping a beat (or two).

I actually adored Eva and Gideon's skirting around each other in the beginning.  It locked me into this story. The fact they were both obscenely attracted to each other, with his directness, and Eva's, girl power attitude, it was really just a nice change of pace from some of the other books I've read like this.

Now, I did find some similar actions/wording/phrases that were very similar to the FSOG triology. That said, the writing style between Sylvia Day and EL James are different, which I enjoyed. Maybe I caught onto these similarities more than most, because I had just stepped away from 50...(?), but the similarities were surely there.  Once I got used to the likeness, and got into the flow of the book, I set the cruise control and held on for the ride.

For me - The only downfall for this book, which I felt a little annoyed at, was Eva running off every 2 minutes, instead of confronting her boy-crush about her feelings.  The merry-go-round ride got under my skin a bit, because even though I like an erotica book as much as the next gal, I felt that through all the sexual connections they had (and there are a lot!), I couldn't always feel that emotional connection with them at times...

So what's it about?

Sexy Billionaire, Gideon Cross (Oooh...just the name seeps authority and power!), and the beautiful, smart, self assured, Eva Trammel,  are two lost souls who find each other through fate.

Eva has just moved cross country, from California to New York, and is trying to adjust into her new life with her roommate and BFF, Cary. After settling in, she is prepared to start her 1st day at work the following day, and decides she'll take a quick trip from her apartment to her place of employment to see how long it will take her to walk each day.

After she's timed the walk, she's making her way to leave the Crossfire lobby, when a woman nearby accidentally tosses the contents of her purse and things go flying.  Feeling sorry for her, Eva stops to help the woman gather her belongings when she literally runs into a tall, dark, handsome man, in a 3 piece suit.

As she picks up the contents from the floor, her eyes slowly trace up his body and the further up she goes. The more she likes.  He literally takes her breath away.

Gideon is cool, calculated, smooth, uber sexy, and mysterious - And he has his eyes on Eva.

Before their eyes meet; Attraction pulses between them.

Then it happens...Their eyes lock.

Lust at 1st sight.

And the pursuit in on!

As Eva starts her career, the encounters between them become more frequent.

Gideon does everything in his power to see her.  To be with her. To make her want to be with him.
*No spoilers, but I am dying to tell you everything!*

He is very clear and upfront about his intentions with Eva.  In fact, he blatantly tells her. Repeatedly. Exactly what he wants to do to her....but Eva...Well, she's floored by his unreserved come on's and while she's never been possessed by a man quite as beautiful as Gideon...she is just starting out in her career and wants to focus on work.  Solely on work. So, she turns him down, time after time, and is all "Ugh...As if!".

All the while, her mouth is saying "No", but her body is screaming "YES!!" 

Gideon, being a man who's used to getting everything he wants, sees right through her direct dismissals and continues to pursue her.

After all; Eva is the only one who can give him truly everything he needs and everything he seeks lies within her.

His desperation for her.

His need for her.

Whew...

Now do you see why this is the perfect FSOG follow up, right?!

As you get to know Gideon and Eva, you begin to realize that both have troubled pasts.  Pasts that have stayed with them and haunt them on a daily basis, and they'll have to learn how to grow stronger together, to be together.

So what happens next?

Read it to find out!!!

What you'll witness throughout this series is lust, confusion, trust, love, irritation, and there are even a few "OMG - Did that really just happen!?!" moments.

Book 1, Bared to you, 4.5 Stars

Book 2, Reflected in You, 4 Stars <---This was a slower read for me out of the 3.  In fact, it would have been a 3.5 star if it wasn't for the second half of the book. I was so irritated with Eva AND Gideon, for reasons you'll soon find out, but the scenes were...well steamy, and once you get to about 60% of the way through the book, You'll hit that "OMG" moment and it's soooo worth it from there!

Book 3, Entwined with You , 4.5 Stars <---This has been my favorite book of the series!

By the time I was finished "Entwined with You", I was fidgety, so what did I do?  Turned to my personal Facebook to unleash some of my emotions:

"Battling with that mixed/over hang emotion of reading jet lag this morning. 
Up till 1am finishing the last of what I *thought* was a trilogy, but at the last page found out this is in fact a quintet series!! OMGosh...So excited! *Squeee* 
Now I'm off to sit and manifest my feelings over this craziness and sit and wait...and wait. *Drums fingers*"

I felt a bit sad, yet happy, when I found out that this series was in fact a quintet series and not a trilogy. I'm soooo not the type of person that handles cliffhangers very well, but by the time I finished "Entwined with You", I wanted more.  Much much more.  

I have loved this series and am DYING for Book #4 to come out! 

FYI:  Rumor has it, that the Crossfire Series will also be coming to a screen near you! Your TV screen that is.  *Wee*  Is it too early to start counting down the days?  Just sayin'...